Saturday, July 10, 2010

This is a topic I've wanted to post about for a while... I've had the topic and questions on my mind... but I think I'm afraid of the answer.

I like cardio. I've got it down. I

can truck along on the elliptical like a freaking CHAMP. I watch my heart rate, I know I'm burning calories, I'm sweating, I'm WORKING OUT. I can text/read/chat/Tweet/Facebook/make a grocery list/knit a baby blanket/solve the oil crisis ... all while I'm on the elliptical.

Let's just put it on the table... it's easy for me.

Now I have all of these sassy friends who are telling me that I need to work out on the weights with them.

Fear: If I work out with weights, I won't get an hour of cardio in. I won't keep my heart rate at a certain level for a certain amount of time.

I would be giving up control and, in my mind, measurable success. I realize that I can complete an hour of cardio and then go to the weights... but do I want to work out for 2 hours a day? (fat, lazy person speaking, here.)

I have worked out with a personal trainer in the past. A wonderful trainer... However, I have found when the cardio is taken away from me & I'm "scheduled" to meet someone at a certain time to use the weight machines that I don't like, my enthusiasm for the gym FLIES out the door and I STOP GOING.

So there's the question: When do you start introducing weight training into your workout routine? And what's your "mix"? Do you have certain days you work out with weights? Do you do weights and cardio together, in the same session? AM I OVER THINKING THIS??! (did I mention I hate weight training...?) I can't wait to hear what you have to say!!

Today was a good day. The kids and I ran errands, dropped off the dry cleaning, went to the gym, and went to the pool. Today's "outside of the box" activity was bicycling with Corbin! I just got our bikes out of the shop last week and Corbin was THRILLED to go for a ride with Mommy. We explored the neighborhood and then, when we got home, Corbin had his OWN "outside of the box" experience... We've had this "kid attachment" that goes on the back of my bike for a year or more and Corbin has always been afraid of it. Today, he said he was READY. Eric attached it to my bike and off we went! I look forward to going on a bike ride, as a family, soon.

Something about a bike... it certainly takes you back to being a kid again, doesn't it? The wind in your hair... noticing how green the lawns are as you ride by... a little kid saying "mommy, wait up!" It's good stuff...

12 comments:

I envy that you get the option of weight training. There are some people who are barred from the weights, being hypermobile is great until you dislocate something on gym property. My weight training is my shakeweight. So I have no suggestions or tips except do a few reps for those of us that can't but want to!! I'm guessing alternating is best but I have nothing to back it up with Other than some notion about muscles tearing and needing to repair or something I'm sure is inaccurate but makes sense to me :)

First if you can text/read/ect on the elliptical then you arent working hard enough on the cardio... you are probually at like a 6/10 when you work out not a 8 or 9/10. Also you should shake up your cardio...once its "easy" you need to mix it up... add a step class, spin class, run, ect.

I noticed a huge difference in my body when I added weights. My arms started to slip down nicely. I think if you are new to weights you should do a day with a trainer and have them walk you through a workout, write it down and do that twice a week and every 4 weeks or so go back and do another day with a trainer and have them write a new plan. They can keep it from getting boring.

That is a really good question. In my quest to lose weight, I have recently partaken in some "Biggest Loser" type contests at my local gym. The trainer doing this challenge offered classes 3x a week in which the focus was using weighs (think P90X style stuff). On top of that he had us doing our own CARDIO so that we were working out 6 days a week. I did 2 rounds of these challeneges, and saw very little results. I think, and I may be TOTALLY wrong, that because I have such a high body fat percent, that the combination was just canceling each other out. NOW, I do understand that the more muscle, the better your body goes into burn mode, but I just wonder if cardio needs to come first and then add in minimal weights gradually. When? is the essential question....I hope someone can answer this....

I went to school and studied weight training, fitness and wellness and I also do it myself most of the time and can testify of it's greatness and benefits! Due to less time at the GYM and then lately just working out side I haven't done weights in awhile. Since having baby a year ago I weight the same. Same as before baby same as after baby (thank heavens it wasn't more) and the same now. BUT I'm a size bigger, I feel awful about myself, my stomach is starting to hango ut more than usual and my arms feel huge. To sum it up, weight changed my life (literally). I LOOKED so much better when I consistently did weight trainig, my clothes fit better and I felt better. Weight (the number) had nothing to do with it.

So I have recommited myself to doing it. Here's what I used to do and it made a huge diff. 45-50 min cardio...changing it up daily. And then about 20 min weights. Upper body one day, lower the next, abs every day. I did simple ones, mostly free weights and changed it up when I got bored. I LOVED IT!! And my body loved it. I highly recommend it. It doesn't require another hour at the gym. 20 minutes. I used to use kyson to lift up like arm curls or on the floor like a bench press. I used cans of food to do triceps. If you cant make it in the gym, your house has tonz of stuff around it...kids, couches, tables, cruches or leg lifts you can do anywhere. Work it amy. work it.

To use or not to use seems to be the question here...I think that the Duckworth family has a great example of how you can get both in on the same day...and still have control over all that is in your universe.:O) You could also try adding leg and arm weights while you are on the elliptical. I have to say that a spin class is a blast. Boredom is not an issue when you add something new. You may find yourself addicted to a whole NEW form of cardio. In the end it doesn't matter how the weight gets off just as long as it does!

My brother, who majored in sports fitness and nutrition, prompted my mom to get a gadget that measured BMI. When she was just doing cardio, the gadget proved that some of what she was losing was muscle weight and not fat. If you're not doing resistance training, your doing yourself a disservice because the last thing you want it to lose muscle...

However, if you hate doing the machines so much that you start losing your overall motivation, then machines aren't for you. But this isn't the only way you can train with weights. Buy a DVD that incorporates weights. Or you can take a group class called Body Pump which is awesome or take a class that does cross-training type stuff, that way you get cardio and resistance training all in one workout (this is how I got down to a size 4 before my wedding. They can be intense, but you have to keep challenging your body to continue to see real progress. It's important to step out of your comfort zone, and then if you hate it, you're free to try something else. B/c you're right, if you hate it, you will lose your mojo and that is NOT an option! Good luck!

I'm your opposite.. I have a fear of cardio LOL! I can go lift weights and have no problem.. but cardio.. i am constantly trying to talk myself out of doing it, or talking myself into quitting early, it sucks

Amy, I do Jillian Michaels 30 day shred when I need to drop weight...it is true to its word. Its 3 sets of weight, cardio and abs. It really does work...I am lazy and don't want to spend hours working out. It's 30 minutes a day and it works. Coupled with eating right...I stay away from most carbs, white bread and sugar. Love your blog. Gina from CT